Avoid the Mistake Most Students Make & BE A LEADER!

One of the most common pieces of advice I received as a student ending up being one of my biggest mistakes.

I fell into the RESUME BUILDER TRAP at an early age.  I was always told to participate in everything I could.  After all, the more I was involved, the more likely colleges would accept me, right?

I participated in literally ANY activity I possibly could, from French Club, Service Committee, Student Council, Newspaper, Yearbook, Theater, Sports, and much, much more.  To put it lightly, I was burning the candle and both ends, making it impossible for me to actually PARTICIPATE in anything at all.  Before I realized it,  I was JUST A NAME on a bunch of lists.

However, the REALITY is this: COLLEGES and future EMPLOYERS are not interested in how many meetings you signed up to attend.  But they are INTERESTED in how many times you TOOK ACTION, created a WAVE, and MADE A DIFFERENCE.

It is far better to do a few things well than to undertake many good works and leave them half done

-Francis de Sales

Most college ADMISSIONS committees and corporate RECRUITERS know the DIFFERENCE between PARTICIPATION and LEADERSHIP. Most are not looking for students who are just involved, but for students who took a LEADERSHIP role and were able to PROVE their ability to get RESULTS.

CHOOSE your extra curricular activities with CARE. Identify clubs, organizations and activities where you have the OPPORTUNITY to take a LEADERSHIP role and demonstrate your ability to set objectives, MOTIVATE other people and get a predetermined end RESULT.

Focus on QUALITY over quantity.  You are more likely to get into the school of your DREAMS or land the job you’ve been eyeing if you FOCUS more on the QUALITY of your participation rather than on how many activities you can list on a piece of paper.

Take a minute to ASSESS your current INVOLVEMENT:

  • Are you overextending yourself with the quantity of activities you are involved with?
  • Can you identify any activities or groups that you can cut out?
  • Which groups or activities do you WANT to focus on?
  • Do you have a leadership role in a current organization or activity?
  • Are there opportunities for leadership in a club you are involved with that you could take?

Take the step today to LEAD others toward a GREATER VISION and you will prove to college boards and future employers that you have the COMMITMENT and ACTION to be a GREAT LEADER for their school or organization.

It is time to start living the life you have imagined.

-Henry James